Monday, April 23, 2012

Presbyterians for Earth Care Steering Committee is grateful for
your membership and commitment to caring for Creation. We hope your
Earth Day Sunday will be particularly meaningful to you and others in
your Earth Care community.

We are sharing with you a letter from
PEC friends, the Revs. Bruce and Carolyn Gillette. We appreciate their
sharing of resources. Please also access the excellent information from NCC Eco-Justice network as you prepare for our Earth Day worship, ritual, recognitions, and celebrations.

Finally, this is one last reminder that Earth Day is both the deadline to make a nomination for an award to be presented at GA, as well as the deadline for membership renewal.

This coming Sunday, April 22nd, is also Earth Day. Guided by biblical teachings, our Presbyterian Church (USA) constitution (Book of Order) states:

"As stewards of God's creation who hold the earth in trust, the people of God are called to:
Use the earth's resources responsibly without plundering, polluting, or destroying,
Develop technological methods and processes that work together with the earth's environment to preserve and enhance life,
Produce and consume in ways that make available to all people what is sufficient for life,
Work for responsible attitudes and practices in procreation and reproduction,
Use and shape earth's goods to create beauty, order, health, and peace
in ways that reflect God's love for all creatures" (W-7.5003).

Carolyn
Winfrey Gillette’s hymns with earth care themes can be found on the
national web sites of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Sojourners,
National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, Church World Service,
United Methodist Church, Humane Society in the United States and used
by many congregations in the USA and overseas. You can find them at http://www.carolynshymns.com/lect_earthcare.html

Monday, April 9, 2012

A word for this beautiful post-Easter week is certainly gratitude. As we have witnessed the beauty of the birthing of Spring and the miracle of the Resurrection, I am reminded of my gratitude for God's fullness and generosity.

I am also reminded of your dedication and ministry in working to care for this sacred creation. We work to co-create; to co-cultivate...with compassion.

As Bill Brown reminded us in his Easter meditation,...

"Resurrection is organic, and the results are beyond measure. Without the seed there would be no mighty cedar, no majestic redwood, no mustard bush. New creation emerges out of the shell of a seed, out of the ground of refuse and decay...

'There is something boldly bodily about Christ’s resurrection. And there is something quite cosmic about it as well. As our living bodies reflect the evolutionary legacy of life in all its interdependence and as the molecules of our bodies become dispersed in death and shared with future generations of life, then resurrection cannot be limited to the raising up of human life. Resurrection’s scope includes all of life, for resurrection is the forerunner to the new creation, to the cosmic banquet by which all life will be sustained.

'The empty tomb is not empty. It is fully charged with the renewing, transforming, healing power of God at work out in the world. The empty tomb points to the feast of grace."

Grace and the deep peace of the rich soil of Earth...be with you as we rejoice...and continue to dedicate ourselves to "Restoring Creation for Ecology and Justice"!

Alleluia. Amen.

Diane WaddellModeratorPresbyterians for Earth Care

Three friendly earth care reminders:

1. The NCC is hosting a webinar on Fracking this Thursday at 1:00pm ET/10:00am PT. Sign up by the end of the day Tuesday to join.